Coaster toy



March 20, 1951 SCHARKOPF 2,545,972

COASTER TOY Filed Sept. 24. 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Brwentor FREDE R1 ex J. S CHARK OPF March 20, 1951 F. J SCHARKOPF 2,545,972

COASTER TOY Filed Sept. 24, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3nnentor FREDERICK J. ScHARKoPfF a Patented Mar. 20, 1951' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,545,972 OOASTER TOY Frederick J. Scharkopf, Valley Stream, N. Y.

Application September 24, 1947, Serial No. 775,795

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an action toy and particularly to a toy which will provide a growing child with means for learning the effect of gravity in producing a rolling motion, and the effect of an endless chain in lifting balls or round objects so that they will roll by gravity.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a toy with a ramp winding about an elevated structure, and means for raising a series of balls or marbles from a low point on the ramp to its highest point so that the balls will be released to roll by gravity down the ramp and produce a thrilling motion for the child.

Another object of the invention is to provide a body simulating a hill or mountain with a ramp winding around the body, and an endless chain operating through the body to raise balls or marbles from a low point on the ramp to its highest point, so arranged that the balls will be automatically picked up by the endless chain and lifted to the high point of the ramp and then automatically disengaged from the endless chain and caused to roll by gravity down the ramp.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a plaything of this type with a verticallydisposed loop to cause balls rolling down the ramp to describe a loop before reaching the lower end of the ramp course.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a plaything of this nature with a device for switching the movement of the balls or marbles from one portion of the ramp to another portion thereof.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the improved toy.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Fig. 4 is a central vertical sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows thereof.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view, taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a ramp provided with a vertical loop.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation 91 a ramp provided with a. ball switch device.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified device, show ing a game board.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates the practical embodiment of the'invention, I9 designates a base, and I I an upright body constructed to simulate a hill or elevation, and which is provided with upwardly converging side walls I2 and I3, and a compartment I4 between these walls. The lower ends of the side walls I2 and I3 are supported against blocks I5 and I6, mounted on the base In.

The central portion of the upright body II is formed with an incline II,'having a longitudinal slot I8 therein, and the uppermost run of the endless chain It is arranged to travel through this slot I 8. The endless chain is supported at its lower end by the wheel 20, which turns on the shaft 2I, and at its upper end by the sprocket 22, which turns with the shaft 23, one end of which extends outwardly of the body I I and is equipped with a crank handle 24 for manually turning the same.

The chain is provided with links 25, which are spaced apart a considerable distance and which form stops for balls or marbles 26, which may be used in relatively large numbers. These stops 25 project above the slot I8, the sidewalls I8 and I8 of which are inclined to provide a trough or raceway in which the balls or marbles 26 can be rolled uphill by the action of the chain'link stops 25.

The lower end of the lower ramp course or section 21 is disposed in the form of a U-shaped loop 28 around the lower end of the slot I8, and the upper end of this ramp course or section is disposed against the opposite side of the body II, at a higher elevation than the loop 28.

From the upper end of the ramp course or section 27, a second ramp course or section 30 rises, and its lower end is spaced upwardly from the upper end of the course or section 21, to provide a transfer opening 3|, which is guarded by the baflle plate 32.

The upper end of the ramp course or section 30 is disposed against the opposite side of the body I I, below the lower end of the upper and third ramp section or course 33, which is curled around the upper end of the body II, to provide a curved bafiie wall which confronts the upper end of the slot I8, and rises above the upper surface of the incline IT. A U-shaped guard 34 is supported over the lower end of the lower ramp section 21, and spaced above the lower end of the endless chain which projects through the slot I8.

The child places a series of marbles or small balls 26 in the lower end of the lower ramp section or course 21, and then turns the crank of the upper sprocket shaft, so that the endless chain is caused to lift the balls along the rising incline l1. As the chain link stops successively engage the balls, they are raised b the endless chain and caused to roll upwardly in the raceway through which the upper run of the chain travels.

As the balls or marbles reach the upper end of the travel of the chain, the chain passes downwardly over the upper sprocket wheel, and as the slot [8 is not wide enough to allow the balls or marbles to pass through it, the balls are disengaged from the chain and discharged into the upper end of the upper ramp against baflie wall 33*, which deflects the balls'or upper ramp course or section 33.

The balls or marbles then roll downwardly through the upper ramp course or section, dropping through the clearness or opening 38 onto the intermediate ramp section or course 33, and they roll downwardly through this ramp course or section, to pass through the transfer opening 3| onto the lower ramp course or section 21. The balls then roll through the lower ramp course or section and line up against the lower end of the same, so as to provide gravity pressure on the lowermost ball or marble, and insure that it is centered directly over the pick-up end of the endless chain.

As the balls or marbles roll down the upper ramp course or section, they roll to the left of the incline, and then in rolling down the intermediate ramp course or section, they roll to the right and when they leave the intermediate ramp section, they roll to the left.

In this way the gravity rolling motion of the balls or marbles produces surprise and a thrill which induces study and understanding on the part of the child and gives him an opportunity to combine play with educational effort,

Fig. 6 shows a vertical loop 48 which may be constructed of transparent plastic or other material, which is provided with an intake end 4| to receive balls from the intermediate ramp 3%, and an outlet 42 which discharges the balls or marbles back to the ramp; the total elevation of the loop being less than the total fall of the intermediate and upper ramps.

marbles into the- Fig. '7 shows a ball or marble switch member 43 in the form of a U-shaped body, which is pivoted at 44 and provided with a lever handle 45, so that the switch member may be raised to shunt the balls or marbles to a lower ramp course 46, or may be aligned with the other portion 41 of the ramp course 48 to allow continued rolling over the same ramp course.

In connection with this arrangement, a game board 49, having sockets or holes 50 to receive the balls or marbles, may be placed below the body of the device so that the balls in leaving the lowermost ramp course 46 will roll over the game board and different play values may be given to the sockets or holes 50, so that competitive games may be engaged in, or a child may test his own luck in distributing the balls.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I dofnot limit myself to the precise constructions hereindisclosed and the right is reserved toall changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim, 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

A toy having an incline, a ramp extendingback and forth around the incline, said incline having a slot, an endless chain having a run disposed adjacent the slot and provided with pro-- jections extending through the slot, ball raising stops on said chain which extend through said slot, an auxiliary ramp having communication with said ramp, and a switch member pivoted between said auxiliary ramp and said first named ramp to cause balls rolling down the first named ramp to roll into said auxiliary ramp at the will of the operator.

FREDERICK J. SCHARKOPF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the die of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,114,037 Quinn et al Oct. 20, 1914 

